New Ulm weekly review., 1887-05-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, April 25th 1887

|
The present is one of the 5dullest news
seasons known in Washing ton, and re-
porters have in their desperation
worked the canard of the President s
alleged too soon declination of q second
nomination for all its worth. Its now
known that the story has no basis in
fact. The President did not tell the
Western Senator, Vest, that he would
not accept a second nomination or any-
thing of that kind. He has frequently said
in iocular way to Senators and Mem
! bers who were pursuing him with peti-
tions for appointments ''AYell | am
quite willing for you fellows to try this
business and manage it if you can.
You shall have my support and unique
vote for the presidency 1t is we'll
| known that !, number of Democratic
| Members and Senator's are opposed to
second term for Mr. Cleveland and it
is certain that Senator Vest was ex-
pressing his own wishes rather than the
expressed determination of Mr.. Cleve-
| land when in convivial frame Of mind
at an uptown restaurant, he talked
upon the subject OF second term and
the key note to what has swelled
through newspaper exaggeration into 4
grand overture.
tits evident that the music did not
please Mr. Cleveland, for he hastened
through his alter eoo, Colonel Lamont
to repudiate the motif. and in doing
this, he has been betrayed into mala-
droit bid for second nominations: No
one who has followed the history of the
present administration can be of other
| opinion than that Mr. Cleveland is
working with political shrewdness for
the Democratic and Mugwump nomi-
nation of 1885, That he will get the
Democratic nomination is possible, but
it is very doubtful if he can hold on to
the Mugwump contingent. There are
very recent signs Of detection among
his staunch and powerful supporters of
the literary Mugwump persuasion.
There is renewal of talk of an extra
session. which it is now thought will be
called in October. The surplus in the
Treasury increases continuously ut
the rate of $10,000,000 per month. It is
realized that something must be done
to arrest this drain upon the circula-
ton OF the country. The extra session
| should have been called Immediately
after the fourth of March, and it is urged
by some that if the country can endure
the strain until the first of October it
can continue two months longer until
the time of the regular session. But
nearly month will necessarily be tax
en- in the election of II speaker, the or
ganizalien of committees and the other
prellminaries to the real work ofLegisla.
ton. If Congress does not assemble
| until the first Monday in December the
Christmas holidays will seriously inter-
rupt the first month of the session; two
months will intervene before Congress
can mature and pass needed revenue
legislation, and by this time Congress
and the country will be so disturbed by
the approaching presidential campaign
that politics will stife craftsmanship and
no revenue bill be passed.
There has not as yet been an exodus
from Washington. There is great ac-
tivity about the departments and in So
ciety. Many members and senators are
still here. The Interstate Commerce
Commission, as was expected, attract
ed to the city many visitors distin-
| guished in commerce and politics.
Great preparations are being made for
the competitive drill which is to take
place the latter part Of next.month